Recreation-wheel.



No. 864,245. PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907.

' o. e. HUTGHINSON RECREATION WHEEL.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 14. 1806.

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No. 864,245. PATENTED AUG. 2'7, 1907. G. G. HUTGHINSON.

RECREATION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1906.

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.UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

CHARLES G. HUTGHINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO A. H. GARLISLE,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RECREATION-WHEEL.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

Application filed September 14, 1905. Serial No. 278,499.

Toall whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CnARLEs G. HUTCHINSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York city, New York, have invented a new anduseful Recreation- Wheel, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in recreationwheels in which aplatform, adapted to accommodate passengers, is made to revolve about afixed central mast.

The object of my invention is to provide appliances to increase thenovelty, scope, safety and usefulness of the wheel as a recreationresort. I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the entire wheel; Fig. 2, a top view ofthe first floor with its approved appliances; and Fig. 3, a top view ofthe second floor or platform with its appliances.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The central mast 1, having the cap 3 and ball bearing flange 24 fixedthereto, is firmly erected on the ground or fixed to an adequate supportfrom which it projects to a height sufficient to receive the structureof the wheel, the upper end of the mast being supported laterally byflange 3, and guy rods 6, said guy rods being anchored to the ground attheir outer ends.

A vertical sleeve or hub 2, having an upper bearing flange 4, flange 5,ball bearing foot 25, and bevel gear 26 secured thereto, is located toengage a ball bearing flange 24, so as to be freely rotatable about themast 1 as an axle. Circular platforms 15, 16, 18, and roof 11, are alsosecured to sleeve 2 so as to rotate therewith. The entrance and exitplatform 18 islocated on a level with the ground floor 19, the otherplatforms and roof are arranged at a distance above the ground platformconvenient for the accommodation of passengers.

The roof and platforms 15, 16, are sustained vertically by guy rods 7,9, and vertical rods 8 and 10, which rods are secured to the flanges 4,5, and said platforms, while platform 18 is sustained vertically by rods23, secured thereto and to platform 16. The platforms 15, 16, are eachsurrounded by endless walls or shields 13 and 14 respectively, each ofsaid walls being located at the periphery of its platform. Platform 18is provided with a guard wall 20, located so as'to admit of a passagewayaround said platform between its periphery and the said wall. A spiralentrance passageway 21., and a spiral exit passageway 22, are locatedwithin the wall 20 to afford access to and exit from platform 16,openings being provided in wall 20 and in said platform to afford accessto said spiral passageways. sageways 17 are provided for access to andexit from platform 15.

Pas-

My wheel may be rotated by a motor 29, located on the ground floor andarranged to actuate the bevel gear 26 by means of the counter-shaft 30,the engagement of pin ion 35 with spur gear 28, and the engagement ofpinion 27 with said bevel gear 26.

Located on platform 16 is a level circuitous passageway, indicated bylines 48, which is a continuation of the spiral passageways 21, 22, thepart 42 thereof connecting with entrance passageway 21 and proceedingtherefrom to the periphery of said platform, thence extending aroundsaid periphery, as indicated by the arrows, to a point 44, and thenceback to the part 43, near the center of the platform,

where it connects with the exit passageway 22. Turnstiles 31 affordentrance and exit to and from parts 42 and 43, of the passageways, tothe areas 47 of the platform.

Platform 15 is reached by passageways 17 which afford an entrance andexit way thereto. A guard rail 40, provided with openings 41, is locatedon and extends around platform 15 and around the passageway openings 17,said rail being located and arranged so as to afford an inner area andan outer passageway on the platform. Platform 15 is also provided withfixed seats 32 and 45,. arranged around the outer part thereof so as toafford open spaces 37, 46, between the seats, whereby the guard wall 13'is accessible to the passengers.

In operation the wheel is rotated continuously at a high rate of speed.The wheel is intended to be of large diameter, so that while theperipheral speed of the upper platforms may be very great, theperiplleral speed of the ground platform, which is of very much smallerdiameter, will be slow enough to enable passengers to pass to and fromsaid platform with ease and safety.

As the speed of the passengers, while walking from the central to theperipheral part of my wheel, is gradually accelerated it is essentialthat a guiding passageway and handrails be provided to guide and steadythem, and as it is intended to allow each passenger a limited amount oftime on the second platform in order to accommodate a large number ofpassengers, I have therefore provided a passageway beginning on thelower platform, extending to and around the second platform andreturning to the lower platform, as shown in Fig. 2. By having apassageway of this description, a line of passengers may be keptcontinuously Walking, and control of their time on the wheel, by properattendants, may be effected. But as many passengers may desire to spendmore time on the wheel, and prefer to be seated in order that they mayenjoy the novelty of traveling at a high rate of speed, the motion ofthe air created by the wheel, or any entertainment provided on thisplatform, I have placed turn-stiles on the second platform by whichthose who so desire may pass through areas 47 and from there to thethird or upper platform on which, as shown, I

have arranged seats and guide-rails so that the passengers mayconveniently occupy any part of this platform, or remain any length oftime that they may desire for recreation or entertainment beforereturning to the lower platform exit.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character herein described, the

combination of a support and a rotary platform provided only with acentral entrance and exit for passengers, said platform having a guardrailing extending from the central portion outward to the peripheryadapted to steady and prevent passengers from passing beyond thecircumference of said platform.

2. In a device of the character herein described, a rotatable platform,in combination with a passageway adapted for passengers to walk through,said passageway 20 beginning at substantially the center of saidplatform and leading to and around its periphery and returning to thecentral portion of said platform, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device of the character herein described, the '1 combination ofa rotatable platform provided with a central support only and adaptedfor passengers to walk upon while rotating around said support, and apart, adapted to be grasped by 'the hand, extending from the centralportion of said platform to substantially the cir- 30

